https://www.wired.com/story/jargon-watch-rising-danger-stochastic-terrorism/
An interesting concept that has relevance for schools.
Though stochastic bullying or stochastic cheating might be more appropo…
Category: interconnectedness
Living in tune with nature isn’t about being happy
Let me be clear: I’m totally on board with the “get out into nature more” bandwagon, and I’m thrilled to see increasing research showing how much being out in nature contributes to well-being and health.
But in this interview on Wired with the writer of The Nature Fix, Florence Williams, something stood out to me as problematic in how we often approach this natural buzz:
“We don’t recognize how happy nature makes us.”
I think we need some clarity around terms. If by “nature” we simply mean “green living things,” then sure, it makes us feel good. But if we mean “nature” as in the wilderness and the brutal forces therein, then happiness may be a quixotic cause.
Living in tune with nature means having humility and respect, which comes from an appreciation for the often volatile and seemingly senseless danger and risks that are inherent in living in nature. In other words, it’s not just about something we can “get” from nature, in a transactional way, but also about recognizing and assuming our proper place within the cosmos.
That’s a point, alas, I don’t expect many people will buy into, so I understand why we focus on the transactional benefits of nature.
So while we’re on the subject, let’s talk about our children. We want them to be healthy and happy, right?
As Williams points out so well in the interview, our kids are the ones suffering the most from our lack of attunement to nature (however one defines it):
“I think our institutions need to take [incorporating nature into urban infrastructure] on, especially schools. Where I live, only 10 percent of kids get the recommended recess time. Which is appalling, because we know that kids need this time to run around and have exploratory free play in order to just pay attention later in the day.
. . . If you have kids, the most important thing you can do is get your kids outside enough to develop their love for nature. You will be giving them a gift they will have their entire lives.”
And while we’re at it, let’s help them gain a requisite humility and respect for the forces beyond our ken.
Smörgåsbord: American Stupidity, Fracturing Communities, and Integrating Minds
I’m no longer calling this the “Sunday” Smorgasbord. Because I’m releasing this one on Saturday. Just because.
American Stupidity
Sol Stern is concerned about how dumb America has become. He blames curricular incoherence.
The incoherence of economic and political policy isn’t helping, either. According to a Harvard Business School report:
“Divisive political rhetoric and an uninformed national debate have confused the average American about what the country needs to do to restore the economy. . . .
“There is almost a complete disconnect between the national discourse and the reality of what is causing our problems and what to do about them. This misunderstanding of facts and reality is dangerous, and the resulting divisions make an already challenging agenda for America even more daunting.”
Our organizational systems are also pretty stupid.
And physical context can have a big impact: students become more stupid when it’s too hot in their schools. Heat “erases nearly three quarters of the impact of a highly effective teacher.”
Yet we still argue about whether global warming is even a thing.
Meanwhile, young men who could be working (and thinking) are playing video games, and the happier for it, so long as they can stave off reality while living at their parent’s house.
Fracturing Communities
But what kind of jobs are out there for many? Trickle-down ain’t working, and the incentives are for the rich to take all the money they can and horde it from the have-nots.
And they will do all they can to ensure the children of the have-nots keep out of the schools where they have stake in property, as the residents of Lincoln Towers on the Upper West Side demonstrate.
NY Assemblywoman Linda Rosenthal and state Senator Brad Hoylman, eager to show their support for affluent parents, claim that rezoning the school district would “fracture the community“—which is ironic, since the proposed rezoning would increase neighborhood integration across race and class. One would think that would actually be fostering greater community. . . but, you know.
Conor Williams warns that while millenial parents are less tied to geographic stakes, and thus interested in open enrollment systems, without policies that promote equity, such parents will find “ways to massage these systems into protecting their privilege.”
Integrating Minds
We can share, reinforce, and supplement our memories with our friends and build a “transactive memory system.”
And within our own brains, the more integrated the different parts of our brain are, the better we do on complex tasks.
Gardening is good for your health. So something to be said for all those school gardens.
And if you want kids to get creative, give them simple toys and let them be bored with them.
A Balanced Complexity
An interesting relationship to consider:
- A balanced complexity of ecosystem sounds = environmental health
- A balanced complexity of brain activity = mental health
If you’re interested in the concept of self-organized criticality or networks, more here:
The Body as a Vector of Knowledge
—Madison Krieger, “Bacteria are Masters of Tai Chi” on Nautilus
